New London teen to be tried as an adult for home invasion

A 15-year-old New London boy who was captured at gunpoint by a homeowner after police said he broke into 308 Crystal Ave. with a gun July 23 remains incarcerated and will be tried as an adult.

Taki Abson of 537 Bank St. is being held in lieu of $200,000 at the Manson Youth Institution on charges of home invasion, first-degree burglary, carrying a pistol without a permit, second-degree assault with a firearm and threatening.

His case was transferred automatically from juvenile court to adult court due to the seriousness of the charges, and New London Superior Court Judge Hillary B. Strackbein made a finding that there is enough evidence to prosecute him.

Abson is due back in court on Sept. 11 and will be represented by attorney M. Fred DeCaprio from the public defender’s office.

According to an incident report, Abson was wearing a white mask and carrying a .44 Magnum Ruger Super Blackhawk revolver with an 8-inch barrel and one .44 bullet in the chamber when he broke into the house through an open window and confronted 32-year-old Richard Dennis, who was sleeping in his bedroom.

Though Dennis said Abson was accompanied by another male, New London police have not charged a second suspect. Their investigation is continuing.

Dennis said he jumped out of bed and two males ran into the hallway and down the stairs. He said he chased them as he yelled out to his brother, Kevin Dennis, that they were being robbed. He said as they reached the living room, one of the men — later identified as Abson — turned around, pointed a gun at him and demanded, “Where’s the money?” before striking him on the head with the gun. A scuffle ensued, and Dennis told police he grabbed the person and pushed him against the front door. The male hit him on the back with the gun and Dennis hit him on the face two or three times with a closed fist, he said.

Dennis said his brother came downstairs with a gun as he picked up Abson and brought him to the ground, according to the report. As Kevin Dennis held him at gunpoint, Abson, lying on his back on the floor with his hands up, repeated several times that he was sorry and that “it was only peer pressure,” according to the report. Police recovered a knife on the stairs that the home’s occupants said they had not seen before.

Kevin Dennis said he had been asleep with his girlfriend when he heard his brother yell out that they were being robbed. He said he grabbed his gun and ran downstairs to find his brother fighting with Abson. He said he pointed the gun at Abson, who immediately got down on the ground.

The girlfriend called 911, and when officers arrived, Kevin Dennis told police he had a gun and a pistol permit and raised his hands to show he was unarmed, according to the report.

Richard Dennis was bleeding from a head laceration when police arrived, according to the report. The brothers said they had never seen Abson before that night.

The home, a yellow Colonial near the Hodges Square area, was foreclosed in February, according to public records. Neighbors said the brothers moved out about a week after the home invasion. They could not be reached for comment.

Neighbors said also that the home had been burglarized about six weeks before the home invasion.